Sy Hersh's recent article discusses the failures of the CIA in providing accurate intelligence on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Drawing on insights from senior Trump officials, Hersh outlines significant misrepresentations regarding the state of both nations amidst the ongoing war.
• Claims of Collapse: Officials stated that both Russia and Ukraine are nearing economic and military collapse, with President Putin under immense pressure to end the war due to internal strife and financial distress.
• Inaccurate Financial Claims: It was claimed that Russian banks were forbidden from lending to the public; however, this is incorrect. Russian banks are indeed allowed and actively lend to citizens, contradicting the intelligence reports.
• Military Strength Misconceptions: Another assertion was that the Russian army is "depleted. " Current military figures indicate that Russia has approximately 1.32 million active-duty personnel, contradicting the idea of a weakened army.
• CIA Structural Issues: The article critiques a past restructuring of the CIA initiated by former Director John Brennan, which merged analysts with operations officers. This led to biased reporting, as analysts faced pressure to distort intelligence to align with operational goals.
• Ignored Historical Context: Hersh shares a personal experience from his time as an analyst in the CIA, illustrating pressures to produce favorable narratives, suggesting similar issues are affecting current assessments of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
• Questionable Sources: The analysis provided to U. S. officials is largely derived from information originating from Ukrainian sources, which may be biased due to the ongoing conflict.
Hersh concludes that for the CIA to improve its intelligence analysis and regain objectivity, the Mission Centers established under Brennan must be dismantled. These changes are crucial for ensuring that analysts are not influenced by operational agendas. The article suggests that until such reforms are made, inaccurate perceptions of the war and the capabilities of both Russia and Ukraine will persist, potentially leading to misguided policy decisions. The article calls for a review of Brennan's changes, emphasizing the need for truthful analysis in critical situations.
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